Artist Interview: Electra “Poderosa” Bolotas

Who are you and how long have you been an artist:
I like to go by Poderosa or Dosa. Poderosa was a nickname given to me by a student in Brazil, and it stands for a strong woman. I have always been visually inclined, creating representations of myself and everything around me, but I really started painting and drawing everyday about two years ago.

I don’t really consider myself an artist. Art is just a form of communication and a way for me to find other people who might want to communicate in similar ways.

“For La Luz Yoho And Luisito” by Electra Bolotas

What medium(s) do you work in & why?
I tend to work in acrylic and oil paint, as well as spray paint. I love charcoal and chalk, pen and ink. However, I don’t limit myself to these mediums. I travel a lot so I will use anything around me to create, including knives with printmaking, cut-out collages, and paint markers if I have really limited space or resources.

What is your creative process like?
Painting or drawing is meditation. It is like a ceremony where the action of moving the paintbrush from the pallet to the canvas becomes a repetitive routine that gives freedom to my thoughts or energy. I don’t usually try to control the image, but allow it instead to evolve in reaction to the present state of emotions and energy. Because of this, paintings are often finished in one long sitting, so the energy remains consistent. If I revisit a painting I have started at a previous time, it can completely evolve into something different. There are some consistent recurring themes in my paintings that seem to resurface often, like the minotaur, Persephone and playful demons and monsters. I love color and am inspired by Greek myths and by the connections in opposites (male, female, light, darkness, community, isolation).

What is the best art-related advice you’ve received?
The best art related advice I have ever received is draw what you see not what you know.

I like to paint with people who have never painted before and it almost always starts with hesitation as they try to produce something beautiful. Maybe they have seen paintings before and have an idea of what a painting should look like. I don’t care about producing something beautiful, or reproducing an image that already exists. For me, it is more important to produce something true, to let go of ideas of what something should be and see it as it is through your own eyes. Painting should be an unveiling of yourself.

What is the biggest challenge you face as an artist?
The biggest challenge I face as an artist is finding time to paint between working.

Choose one piece that you currently have on display at Artomatic and tell the story of that piece:

“Sketch To Canvas” by Electra Bolotas

I created this piece this summer while I was in Greece. I spent four months drawing everyday and not really thinking about what I was drawing. When I look back at the pieces I saw my paintings evolving and the common theme was social interactions. In this piece I drew three woman all tangled up and intertwined in each other. Where there is one, another is closely connected. The viewer has to untangle each face. Looking back, in this time I felt very connected to the people around me. The colors are vibrant and full of energy.

“Levantate” by Electra Bolotas

What is your favorite part of the Artomatic experience so far?
My favorite part of Artomatic is having a range of artists all in one space. Some people have clearly been doing this for years, decades. Others may have just started. It’s like the people’s exhibit of art. I like to look at what others are doing and start collaborations.